New Deceits vs Past Crimes
by Lawliet Mikami
Summary: AU. Mpreg. Naruto's 14, and everything he thought he knew is turned out to be a lie. What will happen now, and who is the trio who's been watching him from the shadows. Are they foes, or possibly future allies? Rated T for safety. Rating may change. May (most certainly) involve dark themes, character deaths etc, etc.
1. Prologue - Introduction

An old story I found lying around, so I thought why not upload it?

Oh, and as for the disclaimer, I still don't own Naruto.

I only own my idea for this story and the own characters that will pop up every once in a while.

Well, here's the prologue.

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~_Introduction_~

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To be honest, the blond 14 year old had no idea of why he felt so cranky today.  
Jiraya's voice, his words, echoed in Naruto's head but he couldn't understand one word of it. None of it made any sense.  
It really hadn't been his intention to yell at Jiraiya, but he couldn't help himself.  
The nausea was just too overwhelming.  
'How could this possibly be true?', Naruto thought while remembering the sad look in his teacher's face when he'd lashed out at him. He felt awful.  
'If only I could take it back. If I wasn't too proud to admit that I'd been the one at fault and apologize to him. If only…'

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/Flashback six hours earlier/

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"Naruto, I don't know how to tell you this, but…'", Jiraiya paused, unsure of how to break the news to the blonde boy in front of him.  
'"Based on your symptoms, despite the fact that you're male, it's safe to say that you're expecting.'"  
True to his infamous naivety, Naruto looked up at his teacher with confusion written all over his young face. "Expecting what?"  
At first Jiraiya was lost at words and couldn't do anything but to stare at his apprentice.  
'He's not really that daft, is he? A six year old could've figured it out.'  
Jiraiya looked down at his trembling hands and coughed before saying the last words he would say to Naruto in a long time. "You're pregnant, Naruto.'"

He saw the confusion slowly change into shock, to finally end in anger.  
Naruto stated with a high-pitched register that he was wrong, it just wasn't possible and that he must be joking.  
When Jiraiya hadn't said anything to neither confirm nor deny Naruto's statement, he completely lost it.  
Naruto didn't know half the meaning of the words he spat out, or even why he was yelling.  
All he could do was seeing the hurtful expression on Jiraiya's face before his teacher got out of his chair and left the room without a word.  
If Naruto hadn't been too upset at the moment, if he'd known what would happen in the future, he would've run after Jiraiya and apologized to him.  
But he didn't know, so he didn't say anything as he saw one of the most precious people to him walk out of his life never to return.

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/End of flashback/

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Naruto had always hated to be sick, he couldn't stand the feeling of vomiting, but with guilt still painfully fresh in his heart, he couldn't help but feel that he deserved every disgusting minute hurling up whatever piece of his lunch that was left in his stomach.

When it finally stopped, Naruto slowly stood up.  
'What should I do know?'  
**"You should decide whether to keep your kit or not"**, a raspy voice in his head told him.  
**"And keep in mind that I'll kill you if you do not make the right decision"**.  
'I don't give in to threats,' Naruto answered Kurama with annoyance.  
'I take it that you want me to keep the child, then.'  
Kurama, also known as Kyūbi, growled.  
**"The child is innocent of his father's crime. He do not deserve to be put to death for someone else's mistakes."**  
For once, just this once, Naruto agreed to what Kurama had to say.  
'I think you're right, I really do, but… I'm not exactly parent-material.  
What if I screw up? What if I can't care for him/her properly? What if…'  
**"'Ifs' and 'buts' won't get you anywhere, you know. Don't make presumptions of things you don't know.**

**And even if it would come to that, know that I'll help you, every step on the way."**  
Quite satisfied with himself, the Kyūbi went back to sleep leaving Naruto in thoughts on his own.

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AN;  
Short, very short, but it was only the prologue.  
The first chapter will be a tad longer. Hopefully, anyway.

Sincerely/ L. Mikami


	2. Chapter I - Nausea

**Disclaimer:** I certainly own no Naruto.

This is purely fanmade, made for entertaingment purposes only.

The only thing I take credit for is the idea (which might not be that original)

as well as developing my own characters.

~The disclaimer ends here~

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Chapter I - Nausea  
(AN: Ironic enough, I was nauseous when I wrote this chapter.)

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Two weeks had passed since Naruto left Iwagakure village.  
Two weeks with no signs of Jiraya. It was for better or worse safe to say that the chance of seeing the famous ero-sannin again was very slim.  
After his not too sudden departure (considering the circumstances), Naruto had decided to return to Konoha.  
He didn't expect his friends to accept his pregnancy, or even listen to his side of the story, and felt dread oozing up as he reached the borders of his home village.  
'Even if everyone will turn their backs on me, I still have Kurama and the baby.'  
That thought was the only thing that gave Naruto enough courage to ignore the hostile atmosphere directed towards him the moment he stepped inside Konoha.  
Ignoring the not so pleasant feeling of morning-sickness, Naruto walked past the groups of people eyeing him as if he was the devil himself.  
'They doesn't even have the common decency to conceal their hatred. How dare they call themselves shinobi?'  
To be fair, if Naruto hadn't felt sick with an almost constant pain in his stomach, he would've ignored their stares and whispers. He might've even ignored the tuna hitting the backside of his neck.  
"Ha, ha, good one, Kai," an unfamiliar voice said gleefully. "Serves the slut right I'd say".  
Taking into consideration everything that had happened in the past few months, the betrayal, the origin behind his pregnancy, Jiraya's departure and a tuna-throwing idiot, is it really so hard to understand that Naruto had got enough?  
He had never been one to walk away from the opportunity to a fight, but he'd also never felt as good hearing a nose bone crack as he did at this moment.  
Naruto felt a few drops of blood staining his hand as he looked up at the much taller tuna-guy holding his broken nose while a rather colorful use of language escaped his mouth.  
"Hey, no need to get so worked up over a minor wound, now is it," Naruto asked with his voice full of sarcasm and a nonexistent innocence.  
The tuna-guy's eyes flashed and he screamed "Minor wound? Minor wound?! You broke my nose, you damn midget!"  
Naruto's patience faltered at an alarming rate. He was just about to give the insolent tuna-teme a piece of his mind when he tensed as he felt a hand touching his left shoulder. In a split second, every nerve in Naruto's brain sending a distress signal told the same; it was the touch of him.  
Before Naruto had any awareness of his actions, he'd lashed out at the person touching his shoulder. Wham! Whoever the touchy-person was, he flew almost 3 meters away, landing hard with his back on the fruit stand on the opposite side of the street. With narrowed eyes, Naruto drew closer to the fruit stand, only to discover that the person he'd just socked was one of the people he loved the most.

-

**Lawliet: "As tempting as it is to end the chapter here, I'm simply too kindhearted to use the 'cliff hanger-jutsu' ."**  
**Itachi: "'Cliff hanger-jutsu'? How childish can a person be..."**  
**Lawliet: "Care to say that one more time?!"**  
**Itachi: "Hn... never knew you had hearing-problems as well..."**  
**Lawliet: "... Anyway, let's get to the rest of the chapter, shall we?**  
**Alright, here goes!"**  
**Itachi: "..."**  
-

-  
"I-Iruka-sensei! I don't... I-I mean that...," Naruto stuttered, trying to apologize for his not so uncalled for outburst.

Naruto felt his insecurities ooze up when he saw that his father figure seemed quite pissed off.  
He lowered his head, stubbornly staring at the ground, expecting a scream to deafen his eardrums.

When no scream was to be heard, Naruto raised his head.  
Iruka's face showed no sign of anger.  
Disbelief, astonishment, but definitely no anger.  
A tiny, but contented smile slowly crept upon his face with tears in his eyes.  
"Why are you crying, Iruka-sensei? It... it didn't hurt that bad, did it," Naruto asked worriedly.  
Iruka's smile grew bigger and he hugged the smaller boy, calmly saying  
"No, I'm just happy that you're home again."  
Hearing this, Naruto felt his own tears descending his cheeks.  
'At least _someone_ is happy to have me around.'  
**"What do you mean 'at least'? Haven't I been taking good care of you these past few months, ever since that good-for-nothing bastard hurt you?"**  
Kurama knew how the boy felt, but couldn't ignore his own pain anymore.  
**"Or perhaps, I doesn't count because I'm a ****_Kyūbi_****, is that it?"**  
Naruto rolled his eyes. Kurama could be quite the drama-queen whenever he wanted to be.  
'You do count, ojii-chan, I merely meant that Iruka-sensei is my only _human_ friend. Alright...?'  
The Kyūbi didn't anwer to his grandson's statement. He was quite frankly still upset.  
'Are you moping, Ojii-chan...?'  
The silence quickly subsided as said Kyūbi snarled and growled at him.

.

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-

**Lawliet: "Aaaand cut! The end of the first chapter!"**  
**Itachi: "Marvelous... now the idiot thinks he's a movie director!"**  
**Lawliet: "Why can't you just be happy for a change?"**  
**Itachi: "Cuz your story doesn't make sense..."**  
**Lawliet: "OUR story. You're in it too! Btw, it makes perfect sense!"**  
**Itachi: "Oh, yeah? How?"**  
**Lawliet: "The remaining 7 chapters will tell."**  
**Itachi: "You mean there's more?! I feel sick..."**  
**Lawliet: "..."**

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-  
*'Ojii-chan' means 'grandfather' in Japanese,  
'ero' means 'pervert' and 'teme' means 'bastard'.  
-

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	3. Chapter II - I thought I knew you

**Chapter II - I thought I knew you**

..

**Disclaimer: I still own no Naruto!**

**~Disclaimer ends here~**

.  
Naruto happily chatted with Iruka, munching on a dango while they were waiting for Sakura, Neji, Kiba, Hinata, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Lee, Sai and Kakashi at Ichiraku's ramen stand.  
Usually, Naruto hated dango, but with his strange cravings, his usual opinion on what was edible had been slightly altered.  
For example, before his pregnancy, he would never have considered vanilla ice cream tasting like curry, tomato sauce and had wiener sausages as topping would be edible.  
Apparently, neither did Teuchi nor Iruka when Naruto had ordered it.  
Pregnancy related cravings sure was a strange occurrence.  
Naruto could hardly wait to get his bowl of ice cream.  
When it finally arrived, Naruto put it in front of him with a savage like gleam in his eyes before he started munching happily as the aroma filled the little ramen stand.  
'Even the scent of it is absolutely wonderful. It is the dessert of the world!,' Naruto thought as he was about to put another spoon of the yellowish substance in his mouth. It was in that moment his friends decided to show up.  
Not a surprise to many, his other friends shared the same opinion as Teuchi and Iruka as they stunned watched their short friend munch on what looked like a stew of crap.

Naruto didn't really mind, though. If his friends didn't want to share his 'slice of heaven', who was he to complain? All the more ice cream for him!  
As they all gathered round the table, Naruto finished his ice cream. He smiled shyly, but determined to finally tell them the truth.  
'Go, Naruto! You can do it,' he chanted silently to himself. A few encouraging word from Kurama did the trick, and he began to tell his story.  
Naruto left absolutely nothing out. He told them of the stinking rules the Yōkai council forced unto the yōkai populace and the hanyō-tribe.  
He told them about the yondaime and why the nine-tailed came to be sealed within him. Naruto also told them why Kurama had attacked Konoha so many years ago.  
After he had finished his story by briefly telling them about how his pregnancy came to be, while leaving out chunks of information about the more private matters, everyone kept staring at him in disbelief.  
Not that they doubted his words, for all that Naruto was - he certainly was no liar, but it was still a lot to take in.  
The silence was as uncomfortable to Naruto as the concealed glances Sakura gave him before she rose up from her seat and left without a word.  
'Perhaps letting Sakura know wasn't such a great idea, after all,' Naruto thought solemnly. A gentle grasp on his shoulder made him look up to meet the gaze of Kakashi.  
Even without saying it, Naruto understood the message. 'You know that she'll accept you, just give her some time.'  
Reluctantly, he agreed with his sensei, simply because there was nothing else he could do about it.  
He was relieved to discover that the others didn't seem bothered by what he'd told them just a few minutes ago.  
It didn't take long before he joined them telling jokes on one another.

.  
****_Elsewhere_****

"You may enter," a voice behind the doors was heard.  
Sakura swallowed lightly and opened the door. The shadow leader of Konoha's council, Danzo, sat behind a desk riled with papers the size of a hill.  
"Yesss... what could be important enough for you to 'barge' in here, disrupting my paperwork?"  
Sakura closed the door behind her and stepped silently inside the office.  
One gaze of Danzo, and the fear of what she'd come to report paled in comparison.  
"Well? Aren't you going to tell me what this is about - or have you perhaps turned a mute since that last time I saw you, Haruno-san,"

Danzo said in a monotone voice while conveniently putting a slight stress to the honorific term thus more or less transforming it into a clear insult.  
If it had come from anyone but Danzo, Sakura surely would have sucker punched them for their insolence.  
But quite frankly, the one-eyed living mummy terrified her.  
"I-it's about Naruto," Sakura stuttered.  
Danzo's eyebrow raised in mild interest. "Oh? What about him, pray tell?"  
The young assassin swallowed, wetted her dry lips before she told her secret chief everything Naruto had told her less than an hour ago.

After she had finished her story, Danzo shook his head.  
His smile a slight indicator that he of some reason was amused by what he'd just heard.  
His smile grew bigger and sharper when he noticed Sakura's obvious confusion.  
"Did you honestly think that I would have no awareness of this, Haruno," Danzo asked, his voice filled to the brim of sarcasm.  
Sakura's eyes grew steadily bigger. Whatever she might have expected Danzo to say, this certainly wasn't.  
"You knew..?" Sakura asked weakly. Danzo's smiled vanished, his face dead serious. Sakura shuddered.

.

After Sakura left the building, she contemplated on whether she should have refused Danzo's order or not.  
'No use to to think about it, I have no choice in the matter,' she thought solemnly.  
Naruto was her friend, he had always been, but order was still order. It couldn't be helped.  
'Even if I hadn't told Danzo what I knew, I would have gotten this job eventually.'  
That thought was the only thing that made her head towards her intended destination.  
Less than 5 meters away from Naruto's apartment, Sakura suddenly felt a throbbing pain in her stomach.  
She stopped her tracks to look down at the knife that came out of nowhere which were currently penetrating her skin.  
Sakura was too engaged by looking down at the double edged dagger in her gut to notice a dark shadow approaching.  
When she realized someone was standing behind her, it was already too late.

**** _Time-skip, 3 hours later_****

Naruto had slowly made his way home from Ichiraku's.  
Although Sakura had acted strange and left almost as soon as he'd finished telling his friends about his family, he had not thought much of it.  
After all, to others the whole thing certainly must seem like a big ordeal.  
Still... that expression she'd had in her face when she looked at him before leaving still felt like a punch to his stomach.  
Naruto was so lost in thoughts thinking about the pink haired kunoichi that he failed to realize that the door to his apartment was unlocked.  
Naruto stepped inside the apartment and shut the door behind him. With a sigh he turned on the lamp in the hallway.  
To say that the sight of 5 unfamiliar people standing in front of him made him confused as to why they were there in the first place, was a major understatement.  
He literally froze out of astonishment. The stranger closest to him spoke with a voice devoid of all emotion.  
"Uzumaki Naruto, by the order of the council, you are under arrest." Naruto blinked, confusion written all over his young face.  
"What are you talking about," he asked cautiously. "An hour ago, the body of a certain Haruno Sakura was discovered," another of the 5 said.  
The third confirmed it by adding, "you are currently prime suspect for her death."

Naruto stared wide eyed at the five strangers, almost childishly refusing to believe what he had just heard.  
"Y-you're lying," Naruto stuttered, "Sakura-chan's not dead. She can't be!" The last part he cried out so loud that even a deaf person could have heard it.  
The 4th member of the strange group stepped forward, quickly putting a hand upon Naruto's blonde head.  
Naruto screamed in agony, soon after every color turned into one single. Black.  
The leader of the group put Naruto's unconscious body over his shoulder and then the five Anbu left the site without a trace,

as if they had never been there in the first place.

.

****_Nightfall_****

Naruto slowly opened his eyes.  
He didn't know where he was, but had a suspicion that he was being held in one of the cells in the TAI-building.  
He tried to move but found that he was not only wearing a straightjacket, but also tighly strapped onto the wall behind him.  
'They don't take any chances, do they,' Naruto thought once he'd discovered that almost all of his chakra was drained into the blue necklace

he wore around his neck. 'A restrainer? What else have they done to me?'  
That's when he noticed the yellow lines on the floor a few meters away. 'Is that...?'  
Naruto tried to gather whatever chakra he still had left, only to see the yellow lines become brighter and then just as the strength

he had left abandoned him, the lines darkened and returned to their original shape and color.  
'Damn... I'm almost drained completely. I can't even get in touch with Kurama.  
Are they trying to kill me?'

Light, almost soundless footsteps was heading his way.  
Naruto blinked, and tried to spot the stranger through the infinite darkness.  
The footsteps stopped, and a tall yet slender figure in a dark cloak was standing in front of his cell.

Not saying anything, just observing, almost as if the figure was waiting for something to happen or a confirmation before he'd make the next decision.  
The silence was unbearable, so Naruto swallowed and gathered courage to ask the question he'd had ever since the stranger first appeared behind the metal bars of his cell.  
"Dare*... who are you?"

**Itachi: Wait... the chapter ends here? I thought you despised cliffhangers!"**  
**Lawliet: "Yes... but I thought that it might annoy you..."**  
**Itachi: "Thanks for that, 'Mr O, almighty!'"**  
**Lawliet: "Ya'know, I really appreciate the sarcasm. You're a lousy conscience, you know that?"**  
**Itachi: "Hn. Whatever..."**  
**Lawliet: "Anyway, in chapter 4 you'll know who the strange character is and what he has in store for Naru-chan."**  
**Itachi: "Chapter 4? Have you forgotten that there's a chapter between this and that chapter?"**  
**Lawliet: "Ha ha, not at all, 'Sunshine'. Chapter 3 will tell the background story, so to speak.**  
**It will tell you whatever happened before the destruction of Konoha.**  
**Will also reveal why Kurama is referred to as Naruto's "grandfather" and what connection he really had with the Yondaime Hokage."**  
**Itachi: "Oh, so that will finally tell how the story make sense?"**  
**Lawliet: "Hmm... yes, I suppose that, too."**  
**Itachi: "..."**

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-  
* 'Dare' means 'who' in Japanese.  
-

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	4. Chapter III - Who we used to be

**Chapter III - Who we used to be**

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**Disclaimer: I indefinitely own no Naruto.**

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**_~Disclaimer ends here~_**

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_'I crawled out of the world_  
_And you said I shouldn't stay'_

_._

/Flashback 12 years prior to the current events/

"Yondaime-sama! Yondaime-sama!"  
Minato raised an eyebrow and looked up from his paperwork.  
"What is it, Itachi-kun?"  
Uchiha Itachi swallowed hesitantly and looked at Minato with fear in his dark eyes.  
Whatever it was that bothered the usual cold child, must be something horrible.  
Just as Itachi had gathered courage to tell the Yondaime what was wrong, a shriek could be heard outside of the building.  
In an instant, Minato was on his feet.  
"What's going on," he murmured, more to himself rather than to Itachi, and moved to gaze out of the window,

looking down on the gathered crowd below.  
"Yondaime-sama... they're, they're revolting. Calling for your death."  
Minato turned, and once again observed Itachi with calculating eyes.  
"Do you know why?"  
Itachi nodded, briefly studied the floor and then raised his head to meet his Kage's eyes.  
"They've found out that Kurama-sama's your birth-father.  
They're saying that a demon, such as yourself, does not deserve the title of Hokage..."

Minato's blue eyes that at first had seemed angry, grew slightly bigger and then shone of pain and sadness.  
For a minute, he said nothing, just watching the spotless floor.  
"And the reason my death is acquired..?"  
At this moment, Itachi couldn't keep the tears brimming his eyes from falling.  
Tears of sadness, disappointment, anger and hatred caressed his milky skin.  
He hated the feeling of the salty wetness, but for once he couldn't care less.  
"They think the only reason you've hidden that fact is due to ill intentions,

and that the only way to ensure the safety of Konoha's future, is to have you 'brought to justice' and summarily executed."  
Minato wanted to cry, but for some reason he found himself unable to.

He couldn't think of anything to say, he wanted so desperately say _something_ reassuring to the crying child, yet he couldn't bear to tell any lies.

He knew that he couldn't possibly make it if the entire village turned against him.  
The door suddenly burst open, and seven figures with grim faces stepped inside of the office, with kunais in their hands.  
'Kazoku of mine... father, mother, twins, Naruto... gomen,' was the only thought Minato had in his mind as the unknown intruders drew closer to him, blocking any escape routes there might have been.  
Minato didn't struggle, in fact he did nothing as the intruders put him in handcuffs and slowly led him out of his office, calmly walking down the stairs leading to the savage crowd the 28 year old kyūbi used to love with all his heart.  
Even in captivity, he could walk proudly and with every drop of his dignity still intact.  
While he was being led to the godforsaken site where criminals on death row met their sorry end, one solemn thought crossed his mind.  
'What will father say when he learns about this?'

.

.

A few hours later, in the depth of the forest behind the Hokage monument, an echoing cry of disbelief and agony was heard.  
Tears fell down Kurama's cheeks, meanwhile the twins Théra and Skýe nodded in agreement and then out of respect swifly vanished out of sight,leaving the couple alone to mourn the loss of their only child.

Minato's eyes was closed, even in death his face was covered with the gentleness of a child most people still living doesn't possess.

His wonderful lips, albeit slightly crooked, held whatever agony he was put through during his last moments in life hidden in a weak but soft smile.  
Kurama fell down onto his knees, slammed his fists onto the ground and cried in protest. The pain was just too overwhelming.  
His wife Kara swept a light purple hair lock out of her face and gently grasped her husband's shivering shoulder. Her eyes shone of mutual grief.  
'Konoha... they've gone too far this time,' Kara solemnly thought as she saw Kurama's face suddenly twist in anger and sheer hatred.  
'May the lords grant you the mercy we won't bestow upon you.'

.

.

(Kurama's POV)

It didn't take me long to reach the gates of Konoha.  
With a harmless enchantment, the guards were put to sleep.  
According to my brothers Théra and Skýe, they hadn't had any participation in the death of my son, so there was no reason to kill them.  
The only ones that have to go is the ones behind Minato's death.  
Once I'd reached the center of the village, I shifted into my fox shape and rapidly grew bigger.  
The screams of fright and pain sounded like sweet music to my ears, and I hummed in content as I let one of my tails tear a building apart.  
Most of the villagers ran, but what did I care about that?

The only ones I had any interest in was the council, surely_ they_ were responsible for my son's death.

I shan't cause them the same pain they caused my sweet, innocent boy; the pain _they_ will feel shall be so much greater. So much sweeter.

I called out for them, yelled out obscenities I honestly had no idea of what they meant, while impatiently waiting for the cursed cowards to appear.  
Honestly, if they hadn't been so slow, I probably wouldn't have gone onto the rampage which led me to blow the Hokage tower to smithereens.  
I probably wouldn't have laughed wickedly right in the scared crowd's faces.  
And I most certainly wouldn't have killed off the irritating bystanders.  
The last thing I saw before I fell into a most unwelcome sleep, was the teary-eyed face of my two year old grandson Naruto, resting in the arms of Uchiha Itachi.

.

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(Third person's POV)  
A bright blue light was engulfing the village of Konoha, and as the light diminished, the fearsome Kyūbi was gone.  
Itachi held the tiny child in his arms closer to him, embracing him while softly whispering in his ear.  
Naruto stopped crying, hiccuped, and then looked at Itachi's face.  
Itachi smiled gently, and promised himself in that moment that he'd always look out for the younger boy.  
For the Yondaime's sake.  
Cautiously looking around, Itachi left the site, still embracing the child.  
'I can't let the council know about what happened here', Itachi thought as he ran to the deserted house which had originally belonged to the Yondaime and his late wife.  
'I will never tell...'

/End of flashback/

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/Flashback, 21 years prior to Kyūbi's destruction of Konoha/

"As per #191 decree, punishable by death, the defendants Tanuki Mito and Ishiiki Setsuna is found guilty on all charges.  
The penalty will be carried out in a minimum of 7 days to a maximum of 4 months. With that, the court is adjourned."  
Neither Mito nor her lover Setsuna said anything as they got their verdicts.  
Their faces was depraved of even the slightest emotion.  
As if they'd always known what the outcome would be in this kangaroo trial.  
Their red haired daughter, however, hadn't and thus cried silently.  
Kushina couldn't make heads or tails out of it.  
How could there be such a law forbidding any union between a yōkai and a human?  
Surely her parents hadn't done anything wrong, had they...?

.

3 months and 2 days later, on the eve of Kushina's 12th birthday, her parents death sentence was carried out.  
She cried herself to sleep that night.

.

Five years later, a 17 year old man with blue eyes and yellow hair, entered the borders of _Hi no Kuni_.

Minato harbored no wish to leave the woods of_ Kaminari no Kuni_ where he'd been born and raised,

but unfortunately with a death sentence looming, he had no choice but to leave.  
His parents Kurama and Kara had already fled when he left their old home.  
Briefly, Minato had at first thought that he was to blame that Kurama had to leave their ancestors ground,

but his father ensured him that it was Kurama's choice which led to this mess, and not Minato's relationship to the hanyō Kushina.

Oh, how much he hated the _Yōkai council_ and their stupid decrees.  
If it wasn't for their hostility and selfish pride, then neither the hanyō-tribe nor the more favorable people of the yōkai community would have to suffer like this.  
Deciding that living in the past doesn't help, Minato cleared his head of any thought reminding him of his previous life in Kaminari no Kuni.  
His girlfriend Kushina was waiting for him at the gates of his future home, Konohagakure.  
9 years later, 2 years after he was selected as the Yondaime, Minato married Kushina and had a son. Kushina had always been a very frail girl, even by Hanyō standards, and would often get ill.  
It wasn't a surprise to many that she passed away shortly after childbirth due to massive blood loss and fatigue.  
The now 26 year old didn't know whether he should shed tears of grief or for joy.  
Grief for his late wife, and joy that his child survived that bittersweet October night.  
He decided to never revel in the past and look after his son.  
The following 2 years was the happiest time in Minato's life.

/End of flashback/

.

.

**Lawliet: "There! Finally, the chapter's finished! This one was the most troublesome of them all, for real! I worked on it for hours!"**  
**Itachi: "The chapter was filled with nothing but `gloom and doom´".**  
**Lawliet: "Hey, I added the part in the end which clearly said that Minato had a happy time with his son for ****_2_**** whole years!"**  
**Itachi: "Yeah, sure... and then he was killed by ignorant villagers..."**  
**Lawliet: "I know, but you can't have everything, you know?**  
**Besides, his death was needed for the story line to work."**  
**Itachi: "Oh? How's that?"**  
**Lawliet: Well, it's because... hmm..."**  
**Itachi: "There wasn't really any reason to kill him off. You just didn't want Naruto to have any parents, right?"**  
**Lawliet: Partially, you're correct. But I also needed a reason why Kurama would attack Konoha in the first place,**

**and the death of his son was as good as any."**  
**Itachi: "Personally, I think that's rather cold."**  
**Lawliet: "..."**

**.**

Glossary:  
"hanyō" means "half-demon" in Japanese, "kazoku" means "family", "kage" means "shadow"  
and "yōkai" means "demon", probably referring to a pure blood.

.

.

_Sneak peak from Chapter 4 - Beneath you:_

_'_

_"`Dare´, you say," the cloaked figure said slowly in a melodic, yet slightly feminine voice._

_"I'm the reason you were put in here in the first place."_  
_Naruto blinked in confusion, only to have his eyes grow slightly bigger when a realization suddenly hit him._  
_"You're the one who killed Sakura!"_  
_The stranger shrugged, nodded twice and took one step closer to the cell._  
_"S-stay away! What do you want from me," Naruto asked, albeit in vain trying to widen the space between himself and Sakura's self proclaimed killer._  
_The stranger took another step closer to the cell, and then another one._  
_He was now standing so close to the bars that he could feel the scent of fear radiating from the captivated boy in front of him._

_._

_._


End file.
